New Recruits

[q]RichS Wrote:Yeah, it's Wednesday and I see the griping about the rink size costing cornell the game continues. I never thought I'd see them whine.[/q]

[Q]RichS Wrote:
On the surface (no pun intended) a larger ice surface appears to afford a faster team a huge advantage.

Not necessarily so. The opposition can try to utilize strategies and style to lessen the faster team's advantage on the larger ice. If I recall correctly, as I stated before, this issue was raised a few years ago when a slower cornell team faced Harvard at Lake Placid. Schafer said he did not think the larger ice surface put his team at a disadvantage, probably because h ewas confident that his team could play to their strengths and negate the effect of the larger surface. I believe that is what happened that year and following that, there was talk to the effect of "so much for the advantage of larger ice".

Sounds like Minny was an even faster team than that Harvard squad and that cornell did a pretty decent job of containing their offense depsite a sizeable edge in SOG for the Gophers. Probably golatending had a lot to do with that. Was the GWG the result of greater speed?

In any event, Lucia noted that the ice surface gave his team an edge. Did it make the game a cakewalk for his team? Obviously not. Did it reduce the effectiveness of cornell's grinding style? Some here have said yes. In any game each team has their own advantages to some extent, this being just one of them. The winner is often the one who maximizes their advantages and minimizes th edamage caused by the other guys'.

Sorry to be lengthy about this but I'm demonstrating that I'm not at all denying th epresence of an advantage and also saying it may not necessarily have been the deciding factor.

I've had experience coaching against faster teams. If you want an explanation from someone more qualified, why not call or email Coach Schafer? Seriously.

[/q]If you want to know why so many people invite you to leave all the time, Rich, these two posts in combination provide as good an explanation as anything I could have written.

First, I note once again that the rolleyes smiley on your keyboard is probably fading from being pressed too often. Second, your second post, if written by anyone from Cornell, is what meets the definition of "whining" in your first post.

To my eyes, there is plenty of evidence that the big sheet is a disadvantage for Cornell. It is why we have had trouble with less talented Harvard squads, struggled to find our form against Ohio State and went to overtime with an otherwise overmatched BC squad in 2003. Even Mankato scared the hell out of me until they flat ran out of gas. The big ice hurts Cornell because, as you noted, we have to do things that mitigate the advantage that a combination of speed and space gives to our faster opponents. In other words, we have to change our game and adjust.

Yes, Schafer tries to find (and usually does find) ways to compensate for our lack of speed, but it is a disadvantage and that disadvantage is exacerbated by the large ice surface. In addition, if you believe that there is any truth to the phrase "home-ice advantage," Maine and Cornell got screwed by the policy this year. Someone else will get screwed next year. Everyone who doesn't attend a school that can host a regional hates the idea of having to play a road game in the playoffs, even the ones (like me) who see it as a necessary evil until college hockey can support sellouts strictly on the strength of the popularity of the sport. (I'm not holding my breath.)

None of this means that the outcome would have been any different if we played the game at Lynah, but the texture of the game certainly would have been. Recognizing these things and writing about them doesn't make us whiners: it makes us observant hockey fans.

So please, RichS, take your and shove it.

[Q]ugarte Wrote:
To my eyes, there is plenty of evidence that the big sheet is a disadvantage for Cornell. It is why we have had trouble with less talented Harvard squads, struggled to find our form against Ohio State and went to overtime with an otherwise overmatched BC squad in 2003. Even Mankato scared the hell out of me until they flat ran out of gas. The big ice hurts Cornell because, as you noted, we have to do things that mitigate the advantage that a combination of speed and space gives to our faster opponents. In other words, we have to change our game and adjust. [/q]I'm pretty sure the ice in Providence is 200x85 since an AHL team plays there (although I could be wrong), but I agree with the rest of what you wrote.

And yet another coach feels ice size will be important:

[www.insidecollegehockey.com]

See the end of the article.

At this point I don't think anyone is questioning the fact that the wide ice is something of a disadvantage for a team unaccustomed to it. It's just a matter how long we should gripe about it after a loss.

I'm not griping, rather simply pointing out to those who doubt it matters that many players and coaches think it does.

Actually, I think this whole flap is billhoward's fault:

[Q]billhoward Wrote:
(Let the 2005-06 sniping begin. Where are the Clarkson faithful? The Lynah Faithful are now just about as gainfully without purpose as you are, other than griping about the rink size and officiating and seeding and ... ) [/q]

A press release about guys joining Colin Greening on the Nanaimo Clippers next year, one is a highly regarded goaltender from the Notre Dame Hounds (Sasha Pokulok and Jared Seminoff's old team). He's also from St. John's, Newfoundland, as is Colin Greening... Maybe they'll stick together?



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On behalf of Head Scout Brent Graham and myself we are proud to announce the committments of a Goaltender, Defenseman and Forward to our team of 2005.

Notre Dame Hounds All Star Goaltender and Saskatchewan Midget AAA League MVP Marc Cheverie will wear Clipper orange next season. Cheverie is highly regarded as one of the finest 1987 birthdated goalies in all of Canada as evidenced by his MVP award in the SMAAAHL. Cheverie continues the Hound tradition in Nanaimo following in the footsteps of former Hounds Nick Feiffer, Jason Marin, Quinn Henry and current Clippers Greg Tyshynski and Jared Seminoff. Cheverie measures in at 6'3" and 180lbs and hails from St. John's Newfoundland.

Calgary Midget Flames Defenseman Taylor Reid has committed to Nanaimo and will add an offensive presence to the Clipper blue line next season. Reid was selected to the Mac's Christmas Midget Tournament All Star Team and will report to Nanaimo in mid August. Reid attends the Calgary Sports Academy and will be a welcome additon. Reid measures in at 6' and 175 lbs. Head Scout Brent Graham compares Reid to former Clipper Tyson Teplitsky who is finishing his Senior year as Captain with the University of New Hampshire.

Calgary Midget Flames Forward Kyle Ostrow has also committed to the Clippers and will immediately become a fan favorite. Ostrow is "one of the finest 1987 birth dated forwards in Canada" according to Head Coach Bill Bestwick. "Kyle reminds me of a young Michel Leveille" says Coach Bestwick. "He is extremely gifted, shifty, elusive and dangerous."

Ostrow is a teammate of Reid and also attends the National Sports Academy.

The three committments are in addition to previously committed players,

Clayton Spalding (Grandview Steelers), Kale Needham (Grandview Steelers), Regan Smiley (Calgary Buffaloes), Matt Irwin (Saanich), Trevor Verwolf (Saanich), Colin Greening (Upper Canada College).

An update on a fall 2006 incoming recruit: Yesterday, a trade sent F Justin Milo from Sioux Falls Stampede to the Indiana Ice (Indianapolis). I didn't realize he was the USHL's top returning scorer.

[www.ushl.com]

And the Indiana Ice story on their acquisition of Justin Milo
[www.indianaice.com]

Did they take his junior high graduation picture and photo shop it onto a uniform? He looks about 14 in that picture!